What honing stones?

[psyguy]

I'm having a re-bore done for oversized pistons and the machinist asked me if I know what the piston rings are made of as aparently that determines what grit stones he would be using for honing the cylinders.

Any thoughts?

PS. The rings are Suzuki genuine parts and the machinist by looking at them thinks they're chrome-moly.

[Buffalo Bill]

New to me…

I never thought that would be a question. I'll wait for an answer myself because I'm putting new rings into an old bike as well.
However, I'll just rent whatever hone they have at the local tool rental.
Bill

[Nessism]

From enginehones.com...

Hone grit is one of those topics that will vary vastly from OEM manufacturer, ring designer to professional engine builder and will depend on how bad the cylinder wear is and whether a deglaze will do the job . If you have a poor condition bore with rust or deep grooves you will need to use a 120 grit hone to remove the rust and remove the deep grooves. Then follow up with the appropriate grit depending on ring application. For a basic deglaze to refresh the engine just use the grit depending on ring type. EngineHones.com has built several engine mules (our guys race too!) to investigate the grit question with on-track results. The table below which was derived from our engines, ring manufactures and technical literature. Our best seller to commercial engine rebuilders and power-sports shops is the 240 grit hone. Our guidelines are as follows:

Iron Cylinder Ring Type:

OEM Iron rings: 180 or 240 grit

Chrome rings: 240 or 320 grit

Moly Rings: 320 or 400 grit

Plasma Rings: 320 or 400 grit

not sure ring type: 240 grit


I recently bought and used a 240 grit ball hone, but based on this information, and the fact that the Suzuki top ring looks to be chrome plated iron, I think you can go to 320 with a new bore job.

[Buffalo Bill]

Useful info.

From enginehones.com...

Hone grit is one of those topics that will vary vastly from OEM manufacturer, ring designer to professional engine builder and will depend on how bad the cylinder wear is and whether a deglaze will do the job . If you have a poor condition bore with rust or deep grooves you will need to use a 120 grit hone to remove the rust and remove the deep grooves. Then follow up with the appropriate grit depending on ring application. For a basic deglaze to refresh the engine just use the grit depending on ring type. EngineHones.com has built several engine mules (our guys race too!) to investigate the grit question with on-track results. The table below which was derived from our engines, ring manufactures and technical literature. Our best seller to commercial engine rebuilders and power-sports shops is the 240 grit hone. Our guidelines are as follows:

Iron Cylinder Ring Type:

OEM Iron rings: 180 or 240 grit

Chrome rings: 240 or 320 grit

Moly Rings: 320 or 400 grit

Plasma Rings: 320 or 400 grit

not sure ring type: 240 grit


I recently bought and used a 240 grit ball hone, but based on this information, and the fact that the Suzuki top ring looks to be chrome plated iron, I think you can go to 320 with a new bore job.

Thanks Bro!

[GregT]

OEM rings are a high tensile steel - not iron - so honing as if they were Chrome Moly is correct.

You've found a good machinist there - look after him, not every machine shop would be on the ball enough to ask.

[psyguy]

thanks guys, appreciate the info.
yes i think the machinist is good, and i am a returning customer

[Nessism]

OEM rings are a high tensile steel - not iron - so honing as if they were Chrome Moly is correct.

You've found a good machinist there - look after him, not every machine shop would be on the ball enough to ask.

Steel top ring makes now that you mention it, they will bend like a pretzel without snapping which is quite unlike iron.